Convertible chair and chaise-lounge



May 23, H} 1 CONVERTIBLE CHAIR AND CHAISE LOUNGE Filed May 25, 1930 1 III -l Patented May 23, 1933 PATENT FFCE HARRY GUTTIN, F PORTLAND, MAINECONVERTIBLE CHAlR AND CHAISE-LQUNGE Application filed May 26, 1930.Serial No. 455,629.

This invention relates to convertible chairs and more particularly to achair adapted to be converted into a chaise-lounge.

Convertible chairs have been suggestedin the prior art and certain ofthese have included apparatus which might either be lowered, raised orcollapsed to provide structures adapted to various uses. Such apparatus,however, has usually consisted of extraneous parts carried by the usualchair frame and did not utilize the chair frame itself exceptincidentally or in partial combination with other elements. So far as Iam aware, no satisfactory device containing only the usual seat, backand cushions of any common style of chair has been produced prior to my1nvention.

Such an article of furniture as my present invention would be of thegreatest advantage, for example, in hospitals when it becomes de sirableto allow the patient during his convalescence to rest in sitting upposition while at the same time keeping his feet from the floor. Thesmall amount of floor space avail able under such conditions would notpermit of the presence of the usual chaise-lounge whereas a chair couldconveniently be accommodated. The value of my convertible chair in homeswhether in living room, bedroom or den, will be readily appreciated.There are many occasions where such a piece of furniture as myconvertible chair would be utilized advantageously in its capacity as achaise-lounge, and particularly by the tired homemaker wherecircumstances or lack of space did not permit the presence both of achair and a divan or couch in the same room.

In my invention the operating mechanism used to convert the chair into achaise-lounge or vice-versa is all hidden beneath the upholstery. Thelowering and raising levers and parts are conveniently disposed withinthe usual arm of the upholstered chair. During its use either as a chairor a chaise-lounge there is no visible evidence of its possible use inany other capacity.

In the drawing I have shown and in the specification described andillustrated an em bodiment of my invention together with the mechanismwhereby the single structure is converted to its two uses.

Throughout the specification and drawing like reference numerals areemployed to indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a half plan View of a chair partly in section, a portion ofthe upholstery being removed to show the operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a chair, the upholstery being shown partlyremoved to disclose the operating mechanism, the paths travelled by theparts in assuming the two positions being indicated in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the locking mechanism in detail.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one-half of the seat cushion operatingmechanism and Fig. is a small perspective showing an illustrative typeof chair.

I have indicated at B the usual chair back which will be utilized assuch in my structure while it is employed as a chair. At 0 I haveillustrated the usual seat cushion which while the device is in use as achair normally rests on the seat S. At A I have shown a chair arm ofcommon construction and finish within which, under the upholstery, Ihave arranged a portion of the mecha nism for moving the parts toconvert the chair into a chaise-lounge. This operating mechanism partlyenclosed within the arm A extends as well within the upholstered back Band cushion C to support the same in their functions respectively asfoot support and back rest in the chaise-lounge. When used as achaise-lounge, as will be apparent from a consideration of Fig. 2, theback B is lowered to supply the foot portion of the chaise-lounge andthe cushion C raised to furnish the back rest. i

Referring to the apparatus for moving these members into theirrespective positions, I have provided bearings 10 onthe back walls ofthe chair arm frames preferably on the sides thereof which are attachedto the chair. Similar bearings 12 are fastenedon the front inner wallmembers of the arm frames but positioned somewhat higher thereon thanthe bearing 10 on the back wall.

Rotatably mounted in the bearing 10 and extending laterally beyond saidbearing on either side thereof a distance sufiicient to clear the frameof the arm is a rod 4. One end of said rod 4 is bent backwardly andupwardly and is fastened to the side of the frame of the back 13 asshown in Figs. 1 and 2. The opposite end of said rod 4 is turneddownwardly within the arm casing and flat tened as at 4a and inwardly asat 4?) as appears in Fig. 3. There are a pair of these rods 4, one beingmounted on each of the rear supports of the chair.

On the bottom of the arm frames are bearings 11 in which is rotatablymounted a lock comprising a rock shaft or a clutch rod 2 the inturnednotched ends or detent portions 2a of which extend as clutches normallyengaging the inturned ends 4?) of the rod 4 to hold the back erect underthe force of the spring 15, and which clutches are released by the footlever 1 carried by the rod 2, and which foot lever extends outwardlyfrom the bottom of the chair.

Rotatably mounted in the front bearings 12 is a rock shaft or rod 5,each end of which is bent outwardly at right angles just beyond saidbearings as at 56 and again bent at right angles as at 50. As appears inFigs. 1 and 4, this portion 50 of the rod or rock shaft extends entirelyacross the front of the chair and is enclosed within the cushion C.Carried by said rod ii'iwardly of said bearings 12, and guided by theportion 55 are a pair of arms 6 which are adapted to be fastened one oneach side of the cushion C. Outwardly of said bearing 12 said rod 5 isbent inwardly and flattened as at 5a.

Surrounding the rod portion 50 is a stiff coil spring 8 one end of whichis secured to a steel pin 9 in the rod portion 50 and the other end ofwhich is anchored in a hole in the bar 6.

The rods 4 and 5 are united by links or bars 3, one of which is enclosedin each arm A. The bars 3 are pivotally connected at one end to theflattened ends 4a of the rods 4 forming bell crank levers, and at theopposite ends pivotally connected to the flattened ends 5aof the rod 5also forming bell crank levers.

To convert the chair into a chaise-lounge the above described apparatusis operated as follows.

The operator stands at the rear and to one side of the chair, places hishand on the back B and presses firmly downward. At the same time theclutch 2a is released by the foot lever 1 through the rod 2. Thepressure on the back causes the rods 4 to turn in the bearings 10, thusraising the bars 3 which in turn raise the ends of the rod 5 by turningit in the bearing 12 as shown in Fig. 2. The rotation of the rods causesthe torsion springs 8 to function and raise the members 6, carrying withthem the cushion C to which they are engaged, which cushion now becomesthe back of the chaise-lounge. Stops 7 on the bars 6 engage the portions5?) of the rod 5 and limit thedistance the cushion is raised by the bars6 and hold it securely in place.

The back B has now become the leg rest of the chaise-lounge and twowooden projections 14 on the back thereof serve as legs.

To return the chair to its original position the operator grasps thechair back and liftsit to original position. This causes the rods 4again to rotate and the bars 3 to swing downwardly carrying with themthe ends 5a of the rod 5 thus releasing the pressure on the springs 8and lowering the members 6 and the attached cushion C to its normalposition on the seat S.

The strong spring 15 looks the clutch con trolling the rods 4 and holdsthe chair back in normal position.

' Various modifications in the construction and operation of my devicemay obviously be resorted to without departing from the spirit of myinvention if within the limits of the appended claims.

lVhat I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a "device of the class described, a frame including front and rearsupports and cross members connecting the same, a substantiallyhorizontally disposed seat between said front and rear supports, a backnormally vertically inclined relative to said seat, and pivotallyconnected to said rear supports, and a seat cushion covering said seat,and pivotally connected to said front supports, means mounted on saidframe adapted on pressure simultaneously to swing said cushion and backon their pivots to raise the one to vertical position and lower theother to horizontal position, and means for maintaining said members ineither position.

2. In a device of the class described, comprising a frame, having frontand rear supports and cross members connecting the same, a normallyhorizontal seat disposed between said front and rear supports, a backnormally vertically inclined relative to said seat, and a seat cushionnormally covering said seat, means operatively connecting said back andcushion to each other and to said frame, including a pair of backcarrying rods mounted on said rear supports, a pair of links connectedat their rear ends to said rods, a rock shaft carried by said forwardsupports and extending across the front of said frame and operativelyconnected to the forward ends of said links, a pair of cushion carryingarms mounted on said rock shaft, and a releasable lock including a rockshaft disposed transversely of said rear cross member and having detentportions releasably engageable with the lower ends of said back carryingrods, and an actuator for said rock shaft.

3. In a device of the class described, comprising a frame, having frontand rear supports and cross members connecting the same, a normallyhorizontal seat disposed between said front and rear supports, a backnormally inclined relative to said seat, and a seat cushion normallycovering said seat, means operatively connecting said back and cushionto each other and to said frame, including a pair of back carrying rodsmounted on said rear supports, a pair of links connected at their rearends to said rods, a rock shaft carried by said forward supports andextending across the front of said frame and operatively connected tothe forward ends of said links, a pair of cushion carrying arms mountedon said rock shaft, a torsion spring on said rock shaft connected tosaid cushion carrying arms whereby said arms are maintained in erectposition, means for locking said back in normal position, means fordisengaging said lock so that said back may be lowered to asubstantially horizontal position and said cushion raised to asubstantially vertical position through said operating means.

at. In an upholstered device of the class described, comprising a frame,having front and rear supports and cross members connecting the same, anormally horizontal seat disposed between said front and rear supports,hollow arms carried by said frame lateral of said seat, a back normallyvertically inclined relative to said seat, and a seat cushion normallycovering said seat, means operatively connecting said back and cushionto each other and to said frame, including a pair of back carrying rodsmounted on said rear supports, a pair of links within said hollow armsand connected at their rear ends to said rods, a rock shaft carried bysaid forward supports and extending across the front of said framebeneath said upholstery and operatively connected to the forward ends ofsaid links, a pair of cushion carrying arms mounted on said rock shaft,a releasable lock including a rock shaft disposed transversely of saidrear cross member beneath said upholstery and having detent portionsreleasably engageable with the lower ends of said back carrying rods,and an actuator for said rock shaft.

5. In an upholstered device of the class described, comprising a frame,having front and rear supports and cross members connecting the same, anormally horizontal seat disposed between said front and rear supports,a back normally Vertically inclined relative to said seat, and a seatcushion normally covering said seat, means operatively connecting saidback and cushion to each other and to said frame, including a pair ofback carrying rods mounted on said rear supports, each rod having aportion engaging the side of the back and having its lower end turneddownwardly and flattened, said flattened portion turned inwardly, meansWithin said hollow arm engaging the flattened ends of said rods andoperatively connected to said cushion, a releasable lock for holdingsaid back in erect position, including a rock shaft, said shaftjournaled transversely of said cross member and having detent portionsreleasably engageable with the inturned flattened ends of said backcarrying rods, and an actuator for said rock shaft.

6. In an upholstered device of the class described, comprising a frame,having front and rear supports and cross members connecting the same, anormally horizontal seat disposed between said front and rear supports,hollow arms carried by said frame lateral of said seat, a back normallyvertically inclined relative to said seat, and a seat cushion normallycovering said seat, means operatively connecting said back and cushionto each other: and to said frame, including a pair of back carrying rodsmounted on said rear supports, a pair of links within said hollow armsand connected at their rear ends to said rods, and means operativelyconnected to the forward ends of said links and engaging said cushion,means for locking said back and cushion in normal position, and meansdisengaging said lock so that said back may be lowered to asubstantially horizontal position and said cushion naised to asubstantially vertical position through said operating means.

7. In a device of the class described, a frame having front and rearsupports and cross members connecting the same, a normally horizontalseat disposed between said front and rear supports, a back normallyerect relative to said seat, and an auxiliary seat normally overlyingsaid seat, means operatively connecting said back and auxiliary seat toeach other and to said frame, including a back carrying rod pivotallymounted on said rear support, a link connected at its rear end to saidrod, a member pivotally connected to said front support and operativelyconnected to the forward end of said link, an auxiliary seat carryingarm mounted on said member and movable therewith, said membersimultaneously swinging said back and auxiliary seat, the one tovertical and the other to horizontal position, and means for maintainingsaid back and auxiliary seat in either position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY GUTTIN.

